Chapter 44
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
ROWAN
M y fingers drum along the back of the couch as I lounge on it, waiting impatiently for Everly to re-emerge from my bedroom. While she dresses, I sit and stew.
A fire has been lit in my veins. The burn is both scalding hot and bitterly frigid.
I’m being fucked by the one person I thought I could trust, and he’s doing it right beneath my nose.
I don’t look toward Braum’s room. He’s not there.
He’s out dealing with some last minute party shit.
Or so he claims. For all I know, he could be hashing out the little details of his escape tonight with the one patient I thought we both hated.
I’ll know soon enough what he’s up to. He’s not the only one with an extra set of eyes and ears around here.
Not that I’d needed them to unearth this deception. I’d heard the tail end of Vick and Everly’s conversation in the atrium today just as Vick mentioned they were leaving without me.
I didn’t know Braum was so unhappy here that he’d consider leaving. He never mentioned it to me. With how close we are, I would've thought he’d bring it up at least once. The thought of being left behind makes me physically ill.
It would be one thing if he was given the okay by the doctors to leave. It would suck to see him go but I’d be happy for him to be given that clean bill of mental health. I also would’ve been confident we’d still be friends once I got out.
But it’s another thing to know my best friend is trying to break out of the kingdom we established together, to run off with some fucking lowlife piece of shit and, more importantly, a piece from my collection.
The absolute worst part of it all is he’s not even planning on telling me.
He’s going to try to slip away into the night with our girl and never be seen again.
A hiss slips past my lips as my skin prickles. With a grunt, I arch my back away from the couch. My hand twitches but I fight the urge to reach around and scratch.
Fuck it hurts. Just having Everly out of sight is enough for the agonizing burning of my skin to start up.
During classes I can’t think and I can hardly sit still.
Just remembering to breathe normally is a task.
The thought of her slipping away into the dark, off into the world where I’ll be left behind and wondering what became of her, has me doubling over.
I roll off the couch, my knees hitting the floor.
As I sit up, my nails are already working themselves over my body, scratching and clawing at my skin to ease the pain.
“Damn it!” I snarl between clenched teeth.
With an annoyed huff, I force myself back onto the couch. My hands curl into fists and I sit on them, refusing to turn red for this evening. But every second I don’t scratch, the angrier I get.
Braum knows how I’m affected without Everly close by. Yet he’d rather leave me here to suffer alone, just like this, than even consider asking me to come with him.
Not that I would.
I have a life waiting for me outside Serenity Falls.
I’m not throwing that away to bum it with someone willing to stab me in the back and Vick, who would snap my neck the moment he got the chance.
Fuck, even if Everly asked I’d tell her no.
I can give her a better life in and outside of Serenity Falls—no need to slum it out in the world.
The thing is, she hasn’t asked. Everly hasn’t even brought it up. Haven’t I been good to her? I’ve showered her with attention, fed and housed her, I’ve allowed her to cum countless times, allowed her to use my toothbrush, and she’s been given the best clothes. I’ve even managed to make her laugh.
The sound of her laughter this morning in bed had eased the ache beneath my skin for hours. It had been replaced by a weird warm and fuzzy feeling sizzling beneath it instead. During my workout, I felt so fucking buoyant I thought I could fly.
I thought that had been a step in the right direction for us. Of me claiming that heavily guarded heart of hers. I should be the one on her mind, not the others. So why hasn’t she brought it up? Yeah, I’ll fucking shoot the idea of leaving down but that’s beside the point.
She should want me to run away with her. I can make her laugh for fuck’s sake.
Her lack of consideration, after all I’ve done for her, is why I’m fucking mad at her too.
I haven’t decided how I’ll handle her yet after tonight.
I can always throw Everly back in the cage—only letting her out for meals, showers, and to use that hot-ass body however I pleased.
It’s not ideal but I’ll always know where she is.
And once she gets used to life like that, it would make it easier to continue once I’m given the go-ahead by the doctors and released.
She could come with me to every gig, watching me from her cage.
I certainly don’t hate the idea.
Then again, there’s always a chance she could escape.
Maybe I need to make a more permanent change in her life.
I could always cut off her feet. There would be no running then.
She has some cute toes, though. I could get them taxidermied, I suppose, and put them in a display case with the rest of The Collection.
They’d look good next to the Jewel Beetle, especially if I got them painted similar colors.
Or maybe I’ll remove her hands. She can’t open a door without them, thus making it harder to escape. But then how will she jerk me off?
I’m still considering how I’ll teach Everly a lesson when my bedroom door opens and she steps out into the living space of the suite.
For just a second, my anger disappears as she emerges in six-inch stiletto heels and a tight, black sleeveless dress. It has a sheer cowl neckline, a deep plunging back, and a short skirt that gently flares out at her hips.
I blink, trying to force the stupor away. As it eases, I realize the irritating itch beneath my skin is ebbing away as well now that she’s back in sight.
“That’s the one. That’s the dress you’ll wear tonight,” I declare, getting to my feet.
Everly moves to stand in front of the full-length mirror I’ve moved out here from beneath my bed. Nervously, she tucks the hair that she’s let down behind her ear. Her shoulders are hunched and she shifts her weight from foot to foot. Her eyes barely flicker to the mirror before they drop.
“I don’t want to wear this one,” she mutters, her gaze dropping to her feet.
I grin as I stalk over to her—holding onto the facade that I’m happy-go-lucky and none the wiser to their plan.
“I don’t care what you want, you’re wearing it.” I come to a stop behind her and place my hands on her hips. “You look magnificent, Everly. Make sure to wear your hair up this evening, I want everyone to see who you belong to.”
My brand on the back of her neck is nearly healed—it’s time to show it off.
My cock stirs at the mental image of Everly holding her head high and showing off my initials to the world.
It’s the complete opposite of how she’s standing now.
With her eyes on the ground and her hands wringing together in front of her, she looks meek and uncomfortable.
“Rowan… my scars.”
My grin grows wider and wicked. She doesn’t notice.
I picked out three dresses that were gifted to her by the women of this court specifically because of the way they exposed the wearer’s back.
This particular dress plunges the lowest, showing off the majority of her marred skin.
I can’t believe I once thought they dulled her appearance.
Looking at them now, I only see the strength of a woman able to bear the brunt of whoever doled them out.
Fortunately for me, she sees them as a weakness. I want her to feel uncomfortable tonight. Queen or not, I’m in charge here. I’m in control of what she wears, what she doesn’t wear, what she eats, when she sleeps, when she spreads her legs, and when the fuck she’s allowed to leave Serenity Falls.
“No one will notice them,” I lie.
Members of the court are definitely going to notice. They’ll home in on any sort of imperfection and pick her apart behind her back. I want them to, and I want Everly to hear them. I’ll be the one to build up her self-esteem, and I’ll also be the one to tear it down when she crosses a line.
Serves her right for trying to leave me. Payback’s a bitch.
“I look like I’m going out to have a cocktail, not to a party in the woods,” Everly mutters with a heavy frown. “I’m going to stick out like a sore thumb.”
I chuckle as I pull her hips into me. Her back gently presses against my chest and something inside me settles.
“That’s the point, princess,” I drawl. “With us, you’re a goddess among mortals—you should stick out.”
Stepping back, I make a move to leave her but I’m stopped when Everly’s hand shoots out to grab my wrist.
“Can… can it be you? I’m no good at this stuff.” She looks up and meets my gaze for the first time in an hour.
I frown. “Can what be me?”
“The star of the show! Anyone who stands near you pales in comparison, so you trying to show me off is a joke anyhow. Everyone will be staring at you and rightly so.” A genuine smile tugs at her mouth as her eyes travel up my face to my newly dyed blue hair.
Something warm fills my chest and I shudder under the intensity of it.
“Your new look is going to have people fawning all over you… Well ,” she rolls her eyes and lets go of my wrist. “Moreso than usual.”
Fuck, I love flattery. Even mad at her, I find my chest puffing out just a little bit. It deflates as I realize this must be her plan to slip away unnoticed this evening—by having me be the center of attention. Fucking sneaky bitch.
“Tonight’s about you, get over it,” I snap before stomping back to my room to change.
Everly follows but stops in the doorway, not joining me by my dresser as I pull out drawers to find something to wear for the evening.
“Rowan?”
“What?”